Cigarette structure,wrapper and method



.J'. H. SLEDGE 3512;538

CIGARETTE STRUCTURE, ,WRAPPER AND METHOD I Filed Sept. 6, 1968 May 19,1970 1N VENTOR. J21 fliiiiif .625:

United States Patent U.S. CI. 131-10 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA cigarette including a filter at one end and a wrapper that enclosesthe tobacco and the filter at the time the tobacco is wrapped. Thewrapper has longitudinally extending overlapping edges, the inner edgehaving a portion removed at the filter end of the cigarette. The outeredge has adhesive therealong and is glued to the filter by one end ofthe strip of glue that secures the outer edge to the inner edge of thewrapper. The outer edge of the wrapper securingly holds the filter inposition within the wrapper and at an end of the cylindrical body oftobacco.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The cylindrical filter of fibrous material in thecigarette of the present invention, and in conventional cigaretteshaving a filter at one of their ends, are the same, being of fibrousmaterial enclosed within a thin paper wrapper to which the filtermaterial is glued along one of the sides of the latter. In someinstances, other filter material is incorporated in the cylindricalfilter. A cylindrical body of tobacco within a separate paper wrapper ispositioned in axial alignment with the filter and in abutting relationthereto, and a band of thin paper or other sheet material, such as cork,is then wrapped about and glued onto the filter and around the outersurface of the margin of the tobacco-filled paper, securing themtogether. Thus, the band functions as a collarlike coupling between thetobacco-filled wrapper and the filter.

The ultimate conventional cigarette that has heretofore been producedembodies the foregoing structure, irrespective of how or when the stepsin the production are followed.

It is important that the filter be secured against separation from theremainder of the cigarette, so that the latter, when being smoked andhandled, will constitute a firm unit.

In the present invention, the preformed cylindrical filter is securedto, and substantially enclosed by, the outer wrapper of the cigaretteand by an axial extension of the strip or band of adhesive that securesthe-lapped longitudinal margins of the wrapper together around thecylindrical body of the cigarette, thereby, in the single operation ofenclosing the tobacco in the wrapper, the filter is also enclosed and issecured to the tobaccofilled portion by the glue or adhesive of thestrip thereof that has been applied to one surface of one of thelongitudinally-extending margins of the wrapper.

'In my copending application for U.S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 739,840,filed June 25, 1968, a machine for home use is disclosed for makingcigarettes of the present type, in which the outer Wrapper is ofsuificient length for making a cigarette of double the length of aconventional cigarette. A filter is at each end of the elongatedcigarette, after which the cigarette is severed centrally between itsends for producing a pair of cigarettes. This machine is adapted formaking the cigarettes by use of the wrapper of the present invention.

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One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a cigarette inwhich the outer wrapper for the tobacco firmly secures a filter to oneend of a cigarette of conventional length, or to opposite ends of acigarette to be bisected transversely thereof to produce a pair ofcigarettes, each with a filter at one end of each, and which wrapper issecured to the filter by the same adhesive or glue that heretofore hassecured an end of the wrapper about a filterless cigarette.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a single wrapperadapted to enclose and to hold together the filter and tobacco of acigarette, and an added object of the invention is the provision of amethod for forming a cigarette having a filter at one end, by a singleouter wrapper.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewof the cigarette farming portion of a conventional cigarette forming macne.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view, broken in length, showing thefinal rolling step of a wrapper about a cigarette that is to be cut intwo, to produce a pair of cigarettes.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the finished cigarette of FIG. 3,including a bisecting means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1, 2 are illustrative ofthe cigarette or cigar rolling principle and the structure employed, inthe aforementioned application, and which has been shown even prior toU.S. Pat. 411,919 of Oct. 1, 1889 to F. I. Hagen.

In such machines, a stationary platform or table 1 is provided, overwhich a flexible tobacco rolling apron 2 is positioned, one end of theapron being secured at 3 and the other end at 4 with a slack portion ofthe apron between its ends extending over a bar or roller 5 adapted tobe rotated or rolled from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 1, ahead of abight 6 on the apron adjacent to said roller. The bight 6 contains thetobacco, and as the roller 5 is rolled to the left, the tobacco 7 iscompressed in the bight to the desired tightness in a cylindrical form.

In the present invention, and as fully disclosed in the aforementionedapplication, a conventional, cylindrical filter 8 is positioned at eachend of the body of tobacco 7 for rolling in the bight 6 with thetobacco.

The wrapper for the tobacco, shown at 9, (FIGS. 1, 2) is preferably of alength to extend the overall length of the tobacco 7 and the filters 8.Said wrapper 9 is oblong and of a width to fully wrap around thecigarette and filters to a position with the longitudinally-extendingmarginal portions of the Wrapper in lapping relation to each other. a

One longitudinally-extending marginal portion has a band or strip 10 ofadhesive applied to one side and which band may be of uniform width andextend from end-toend of the wrapper. The wrapper is substantiallyoblong in outline, except that two of the corners at the ends of thelongitudinally-extending marginal portion that is opposite the adhesive10, are cut off along diagonally-extending lines 11.

In wrapping the tobacco and filters in the Wrapper, the wrapper 9 may bepositioned on the apron 2 ahead of the 0 roller 5 and bight 6 with theglue strip 10 facing away 3 longitudinally-extending marginal portion ofthe paper 9 that is farthest from the approaching roller.

As the roller 5, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2, is moved to the left, and is ina position spacing the portion of the apron that extends around it abovethe paper 9, the tobacco 7 Will be rotated counterclockwise so thelongitudinallyextending edge of the paper that extends between theremoved corners will be drawn below the cylindrical compacted body 7 oftobacco.

While the glue strip 10 is still exposed ahead of roller 5, it may bemoistened by drawing a moistened pad over it longitudinally of thestrip, and further movement of the roller to the left will wrap thewrapper 9 tightly about both the filters 8 and the body of tobacco 7,and the leading marginal portion of the wrapper as it moves about thebody of tobacco will move to overlapping relation to and in firmengagement with the moistened glue strip 10.

As seen in FIGS. 3, 5, the corners of the wrapper 9 that are removedtherefrom along the diagonal lines 11 leave open an area 12 (FIG. 4) toexpose a portion of the outer surface of each filter 8 to engagementwith the ends of the glue strip 10, and this exposed section 12 isfirmly secured to the outer surface of the filter at the outer end ofeach filter, whereby the filter is firmly heldagainst the ends of thebody 7 of tobacco, while the wrapper 2 covers the entire outer surfaceof the cigarette and from its outer appearance, except for the exposedouter ends of the cigarette, there is no indication of the filters.

The cigarette that is produced in the above manner is bisected by acutter 13 (FIG. 4) whereby two complete cigarettes of the desired lengthare produced. Obviously, single cigarettes may be produced by use of onefilter only at one end of a body of tobacco, of shorter length. Themethod and manner of operation is the same, except that only one cornerof the portion of the wrapper that extends over the filter need beremoved.

As a method of forming a cigarette of the construction hereinabovedescribed, such method is one in which an assembly of elongatedcylindrical body of loose tobacco and a cylindrical filter at one end ofsaid body in coaxial end-to-end engagement with said body is formed. Thesides of said body and filter are then enclosed within a single thinWrapper with the longitudinally-extending marginal portions of thewrapper in lapping relation to each other over one side of said body oftobacco and the filter providing an outer layer and an inner layer ofsaid marginal portions relative to said assembly. The marginal portionof the outer layer is then secured to the marginal portion of the innerlayer along the full length of said body of tobacco and along theportion only of said inner layer that is adjacent to said body oftobacco leaving the remainder of the marginal portion of said outerlayer extending to the outer end of said filter and said remainder issecured directly to said filter for holding the filter within saidwrapper and against the body of tobacco within said wrapper.

The exposing of the adhesive on the outer marginal portion of thewrapper so the adhesive on said remainder will engage the filter ispreferable by cutting 01f the corner of the inner marginal portion,which is readily accomplished, although the corner may be folded over toexpose the adhesive for contacting the filter.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a cigarette having a filter at one end thereofthat comprises the steps of:

(a) forming the assembly of an elongated cylindrical body of loosetobacco and a cylindrical filter at one end of said body in coaxialend-to-end engagement with said body,

(b) enclosing the sides of said filter and body within a single thinwrapper with the longitudinally-extending marginal portions of saidwrapper in lapping relation to each other, over one side of said bodyand filter providing an outer layer and an inner layer of said marginalportions relative to said assembly,

(c) securing said outer layer to said inner layer along the full lengthof said body of tobacco and along the portion only of the filter that isadjacent to said body leaving the remainder of said outer layerextending to the outer end of said filter, and securing said remainderof said outer layer directly to said filter for holding said filterwithin said wrapper and against said body of tobacco.

2. In the method as defined in claim 1, including the steps of:

(d) positioning a second cylindrical filter at the other end of saidcylindrical body in coaxial end-to-end engagement with said body,

(e) enclosing the sides of said second filter within said single wrapperwith the longitudinally-extending marginal portions of said Wrapper inlapping relation relative to each other over one side of said secondfilter providing continuations of said inner layer and said outer layerof said marginal portions over one side of said second filter,

(f) securing the marginal portion of said outer layer to said innerlayer along a portion only thereof that extends over one side of saidsecond filter leaving a remainder of said outer layer extending to theouter end of said second filter, and securing said remainder directly toone side of said second filter,

(g) bisecting said body centrally between said filters whereby a pair ofcigarettes will be .formed, each provided with a filter connected to thebody by end marginal portions of a single wrapper.

3. A cigarette comprising:

(a) the assembly of a cylindrical, elongated body of loose tobacco and acylindrical filter at one end of said body in end-to-end engagingrelation with one end of said body and coaxial with the latter,

(b) an elongated, generally rectangular, Wrapper extending the fulllength of said assembly, wrapped around the latter, and having marginalportions along the longitudinally extending edges of said Wrapper inlapping relation providing an outer layer and an inner layer of saidmarginal portions relative to said body and filter,

(c) a strip of adhesive on said outer layer extending the full length ofsaid assembly securing it to said inner layer along the full length ofsaid body of tobacco, and along the portion only of said inner layerthat is adjacent to said body leaving a remainder of said outer layerand said strip of adhesive extending to the outer end of said filter,

(d) a portion of said inner marginal portion of said wrapper beingremoved from between said remainder of said outer layer of said body andsaid filter, and the adhesive on said remainder directly securing theremainder of said outer layer to said filter, whereby the sides of saidassembly of said body of tobacco and said filter will be fully enclosedfrom end-to-end of said assembly by said wrapper and said adhesive onsaid remainder of said outer layer will secure said filter to saidwrapper and to said body.

4. In a cigarette as defined in claim 3;

(e) the comers of said rectangular wrapper being removed at the ends ofsaid inner layer to expose the adhesive on said remainder of said outerlayer for direct engagement with one side of said filter.

5. In a cigarette as defined in claim-4;

(f) said assembly including a second cylindrical filter at the end ofsaid body of tobacco opposite to the first-mentioned filter inend-to-end engagement with said-body and coaxial with said body,

.(g) said wrapper enclosing the sides of said second filter and saidadhesive on said outer layer securing said inner and outer layerstogether along the portion only of said second filter that is adjacentto said body leaving a remainder of said outer layer and the strip ofadhesive thereon extending to the outer end of said second filter, andthe adhesive on said remainder directly securing said outer layer tosaid second filter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,109,5479/1955 France.

524,863 8/1940 Great Britain. 321,853 7/ 1957 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner J. H. CZERWONKY, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

5/1935 Edwards et al 131- 94 10

